


Overbooked

by silverstaurolite



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Bookstores, F/M, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:54:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24906403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverstaurolite/pseuds/silverstaurolite
Summary: A month after moving to DC, Maia had yet to experience any excitement or even make any reliable friends. When a newly sober Reid starts spending his sleepless nights at a local bookstore where Maia works, all of her problems are solved. However, a friendship with Reid is hard. He lives a tough life with an unstable schedule and a very stressful job. He struggles with his own demons that Maia has no experience with. On top of all that, she has to face her feelings, which are quickly becoming more than just friendly, without jeopardizing their friendship.*Will add tags as needed
Relationships: Penelope Garcia/Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 9





	Overbooked

Rain slammed against the floor to ceiling windows that made up the front wall of the _Librarie Antique_ , one of the many bookstores in the DC area. Surviving on the loyal patronage of a select few, the bookstore was the only local bookstores open 23 hours a day. Maia, the store owner’s niece, had the pleasure of working from 10 pm to 4 am all week while her aunt slept so she could deal with the store’s many financial issues during the day. So, there she was, spending her Friday night alone and at work. She would care about “wasting” her 20s, but she was comfortable with life, even if she constantly hoped for at least some of the excitement she loved to read about in her books.

Maia slammed her book shut as the sound of the front bell signaled a new customer. Some nights were busy, such as when students really needed their assigned book for the next day of classes. Others, like most of them, were as uneventful as a game of chess. Quiet nights like this usually saw Maia, the sole night shift employee, reading one of the books recommended to her by her boss.

Looking towards the front door, Maia saw a young man, clearly exhausted and out of his element. Struggling with the umbrella, he barely managed to close it enough to place it down by the entrance. His light hair was messy, as if he’d been running his hands through it constantly for the past few hours. He looked around the small store for a second, familiarizing himself with the tightly packed bookshelves and antique decor. From across the room, he locked eyes with Maia who had put on her warmest customer service smile.

“Hello,” the man said, walking up to meet Maia at the counter. “Is it alright if I read in here for a few hours? I’m having trouble sleeping.” 

“Of course!” She gestured to the small seating area by the store entrance that featured a perpetually full coffee maker. “Feel free to browse the store or the community library section by the couches.” 

As he went to inspect the books available to read in store donated by the patrons, Maia reopened her book while keeping an eye on the man. As a regular at the bookstore herself, she had never seen this man before. With the pile of books he was selecting to read, one would think he was an avid reader who would frequent stores around town. Getting drawn in to the story of Eona, she missed the way he sped through the pages of his own chosen stories, going through the stack of books in less than an hour. She also didn’t notice him glance at her every time he finished a book. He admired how focused she seemed on the words in front of her, as if her whole existence was wrapped within the pages of the book. The last time he felt so invested into a story was when his mother would read to him, forcing him to feel every word instead of reading it too fast to emotionally process.

She did notice his sudden movement as he started moving around the store, only to stop when he got a phone call, which he answered with a voice full of defeat. He did not want to be interrupted, but he couldn’t ignore work. Sighing to himself, he decided to say goodbye before he left. After all, he had every intention of coming back.

“Sorry, I’ve got to leave earlier than expected.” He fumbled around in his pocket before retrieving a card to give to Maia. If she was shocked by the ‘FBI’ on the card, she didn’t show it. “Please, let me know when you get a new shipment. I’d love to look through it.” 

“No problem. Have a nice night, Spencer.” 

After he left, Maia spent some time fiddling with the card Spencer had given her. She prided herself on not judging a book by its cover, but she was surprised and intrigued by the skinny unassuming man. She hummed to herself as she cleaned up the store for the morning shift. I like him, she decisively thought to herself. Especially if he becomes a nighttime regular. It wasn’t often she had such polite company during her shift, and she appreciated not being alone. 

She closed up shop at exactly 4 am and ran, through the still trickling rain, back to her small apartment right across the street. The proximity to _Librarie Antique_ and cheap rent were the only reasons she stayed there. The small room where she slept, cooked, and lived had vintage linoleum floors and needed a serious electrical update. The bathroom consisted of the bare minimum: a leaky shower, yellowed sink, and _not_ water-efficient toilet.

“Yes, Mom. I’m being safe,” she spoke into her phone as she got ready for bed. 

“I know honey, but I just don’t like the idea of you working alone at night in such a big city,” her very worried mother replied to her. “Why can’t Wanda find someone else?”

Maia sighed to herself as she heard her mother's question for the thousandth time this month. She knew she kept herself safe and the shop looked so shabby on the outside, no one thought it would be worthwhile to rob. “You can ask her; she’s your sister. I’m just glad to have a job here.” 

“I guess.” Her mother paused, obviously planning out her next words carefully. Fortunately for Maia, she decided against anything and instead ordered her daughter to go to bed. After all, “beauty sleep is important.”

So, she went to bed, excited for work for reasons that might be related to the man who came in that night. For the first time since moving to DC, she felt hopeful that something interesting would finally happen.

**Author's Note:**

> *I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters. RIP my dreams*


End file.
